Coalition govt with Congress as major party will come to power at Centre in 2024: Sanjay Raut
Pune, Oct 30: Taking potshots at the ruling BJP, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said a coalition government with Congress as a major party will come to power in 2024, when general elections are due, which will end the reign of the incumbent one-party government.
Speaking to reporters in Pune city of Maharashtra after addressing JS Karandikar memorial lecture organised by the Pune press club, Raut said, "No government can be formed without Congress, which is a major and deeply-rooted party in the country. Congress is the main opposition party too. Others are regional parties."
Queried about political strategist Prashant Kishor's reported statement that BJP will remain in power for many decades, Raut said the BJP will stay in Indian politics but as an opposition party.
"BJP claims that it is the world's biggest party. If the world's biggest party loses elections they will become an opposition party. For example, in Maharashtra, the BJP is the main opposition party with 105 MLAs", he said.
The BJP's estranged ally Shiv Sena shares power with NCP and Congress in Maharashtra.
Speaking about the upcoming Assembly elections in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Raut said, "Presently we are focusing in Dadra, Nagar Haveli, and Goa. There is still time for UP elections. We are a smaller player in UP but we will contest".
Earlier, addressing the lecture, Raut underlined various challenges being faced by the media.
"Since the last two years, media persons are not allowed in the central hall of Parliament by the ruling party citing the reason of coronavirus pandemic. But the real reason behind the ban is fear that many things might come out if reporters are allowed to speak to ministers who are being asked to maintain distance from journalists. They (the Central government) has asked ministers to keep their distance from reporters, even they are under the scanner. Media was not stopped even during Emergency like it is now," Raut claimed.
He underlined various challenges before the print and electronic media.
Raut alleged the (Central) government only wants favourable reporting. "After a newspaper reported about corpses floating in the Ganga river (during the worst phase of the COVID-19 pandemic) the Income Tax department raided the offices of that newspaper," he said.
He alleged that industries that wanted licenses to operate were made to invest in media organisations so that they (the government) can control the media.
"Top ten industries have bought media houses. The government is behind this," he alleged.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
